Railroad-switch.



H. V. MBLIGK.

RAILROAD SWITCH. v

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912. 1 ,056,706. PatentedMar. 18, 1913.

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H. V. MELIGK.

RAILROAD SWITGH. ABPLIoATiIoN FILED MAY/1, 1912.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

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Syvum/vilo@ mlrlill H. V. MBLIGK.

` l RAILROAD SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

1,056,706. Patented Mar.,18,1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH Co.,\vAsHlNOTD. D. c.

HARRY V. MELICK, 0F AKRON, OHIO.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Application filed May 4, 1912. Serial No. 695,120.

To all whom t may] concern Be it known that I, HARRY V. MELICK,y

This invention relates to improvements in railroad switches and hasparticular application to automatic switches operable from the train tothrow the switch point to open and close a siding, branch line or thelike whereby the train may be shunted onto the siding or branch line orcontinue in its direction of travel on the main line, acco-rding to theposition of the switch point.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide aswitch actuating mechanism connected up to the switch point and operablefrom a train carried operating mechanism to throw the, switch point inone direction or the other according to the direction in which it isdesired for the train to travel.

Furthermore, I aim to provide a switch actuating mechanism connected upto the switch point and capable of being operated from a train carriedmechanism and manually whereby the switch point may be thrown to thedesired position by a switchman.

It is also my purpose to provide an actuating mechanism for switchpoints which may be operated automatically and manually, locking meansbeing employed and acting to normally hold the actuating mechanismimmovable and capable of manual operation to release the switchactuating mechanism so that the same may be operated manually, thelocking means being constructed in such manner as to permit theoperation of the actuating mechanism from the train carried operatingmechanism.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a traincarried operating mechanism which shall include a manually.

controlled member adapted for operatic-n to affectthe actuatingmechanism of the switch point so that the train may continue to travelon the main line without aiecting the actuating mechanism of the switch,if such is desired.

IVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinatter set forthin and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a top plan View showing therelative positions of the various mechanisms. Fig. 2 is a centralvertical sectional view through the switch actuating mechanism. Fig. 3is a side elevat-ion of the switch throwing rod, parts being shown insection. Fig. l is a transverse sectional view of the switch actuatingmechanism. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, parts being broken away of theoperating mechanism carried by the train. Fig. 6 is a sectional viewpartly in elevation of a detail of the operating mechanism. Fig. 7 is aside elevation of the lever controlling the operating mechanism, andFig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention.

Similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

In vcarrying my invention into practice, the actuating mechanism for theswitch point, or points as the case may be, is located` in advance ofthe switch point with respect to the siding and at one side of the railsof the main line, and the operating mechanism for the actuatingmechanism of the switch is mounted upon the forward part of' thelocomotive or other car in advance of the front trucks and extendsoutwardly of the sides of such car and is adapted to engage the switchactuating mechanism to impart movement to the switch point to open thesiding or branch line, or is rendered inactive to permit the train tocontinue on the main line and pass the switch point.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, A indicates therails of the main line, B the rails of the siding, branch line orwhatever such line may be, and C denotes the movable switch pointsoperable to permit a train to continue on the main line yand to shunt atrain from the main line to the branch line or siding, according to thepositionlof such point.' In this-embodiment of my invention, two switchpoints are shown. It is conceivable, however, that one switch point maybe employed at the juncture of the main line or siding or branch line,as found desirable or practical. Connected to the switch points C is aswitch throwing rod l extending t-ransversely of the rails of t-he trackand prohandles 17. The arms 16, 16

vided at its end remote from such rails with a rack 2 through the mediumof which movement is imparted to the rod to actuate the switch point.Mounted to one side of the rails of the main line is a casing D carryingthe actuating mechanism of the switch and composed of a base 8 shown inthis instance to be of substantially circular contour and provided witha beveled peripheral edge 4. Surmounting the base 3 of the casing is atapering body or housing 5 having its relatively large end outturned toprovide an annular flange 6 and formed at the juncture of such flangewith the body with an inner beveled wall 7 adapted to engage the similarshaped edge of the base 8. This casing is preferably mounted upon acement, concrete or other foundation, as illustrated in Fig. '2, and theflange 6 on the body 5 of such casing is provided with bolt openingswhich receive anchors 8 of any suitable or preferred construction whichanchors are embedded in the foundation and serve to rigidly andsecurelyhold the casing assembled, and in its applied position.

The rack 2 on the switch throwing bar 1 is passed through suitablealining apertures in the body 5 of the casing and is slidably disposedwithin spaced alining bearings 9, 9 carried by the base 3 of the casingand arranged in parallelism with the transverse center line of suchcasing, and meshes 'with a pinion 10 keyed upon one end of a main shaft11 arranged vertically within the casing D andjournaled at its lower endin a boss 12 carried by the base 3 centrally of the casing vand at itsupper end in a sleeve 13 depending from the apex of the tapering body ofthe casing. Thus, in the movement of the main shaft 11, the pinion 10 isrotated to effect sliding movement of the rack 2 and consequently thebar 1 to actuate the switch point to the desired position.

Keyed upon the end o-f the main shaft. 11 exteriorly of the casing D andprojecting laterally of such casing and within reach of the operatingmechanism on the train, is a manipulating member 14 compo-sed, in thepresent instance, of a hub 15 through which the projecting end of theshaft 11 is passed and from which radiate arms 16, 16 and are adapted tobe contacted by the operating mechanism carried by the train to impartmovement to the switch throwing rod 1 so that the switch point may beactuated to the desired position, while the handles 17 are designed tofacilitate the manual operation of the actuating mechanism when it isdesired to move the switch point in this manner.

Splined upon the sha-ft for sliding movement and within the casing is asleeve 18 to which is fastened at one end an annular connecting collar19 provided with an inwardly projecting annular flange 20 adapt-ed toenter a groove formed in a boss 21 located centrally upon an annulus 22provided upon its periphery for a portion of its width withcircumferentially arranged teeth 23. Formed integral with the base 3 ofthe casing or connected thereto in any suitable manner and projectingupwardly therefrom is a boss 24 and upon this boss 24 is fastened aplate 25 located in proximity to the toothed surface of the annulus 22.Pivotally mounted upon the plate 25 is an arm 26 carrying at its freeend a roller 27 normally engaging the teeth 23 and held in engagementwith such teeth by a spring 28 bearing at one extremity upon the arm 26and having its opposite extremity fastened to a lug on the plate 25.This spring 28 bears upon the arm 26 with suiiicient tension to hold theshaft 11 locked against manual operation but permits such shaft to berotated when the operating device carried by the train contacts with oneor the other of the arms 16, 16, the spring 28, in this operation,yielding to permit the teeth 23 on the annulus 22 to pass the roller 27on the arm 26. The sleeve 18 and its associated parts just. described,and the plate 25 and its associated parts form a locking device whichnormally maintains the actuating mechanism of the switch immovable andis adapted to release the shaft 11 when it is desired to operate orrotate such shaft manually. The release mechanism, for the lockingdevice, herein shown, consists of an angle lever 29 working in a slotformed in the body 5 of the casing D and pivoted atits bight to thewalls of such` slot and having one of its arms ext-ending into thecasing and pivotally connected through the medium of a link 30 with alug 31 projecting laterally from the sleeve 18, the lug 31 beingconnected to the sleeve in any suitable manner, or formed integraltherewith if desired. The opposite arm of the angle lever 29 is bentupon itself to provide a handle 32 spaced from the proximate port-ion ofthe body 5 of the casing and equipped with an eye 33 adapted to bedisposed between spaced parallel ears 34 and registering with theapertures in such ears to receive a lock, such as a pad lock or the liketo lock the lever 29 against movement by unauthorized parties. Thus,upon pulling the handle 32 of the lever 29, the latter is rocked aboutits pivotal connection with the body 5 and, through the link 30 and lug81 eleva-tes the sleeve 18 on the shaft 11 and consequently the annulus22 to move the teeth on the latter out of engagement with the roller 27on the arm 26, the roller 27, in the elevated position of the annulusresting upon the peripheral portion of such an` nulus. Upon the releaseof the locking device, one of the handles 17 on the manipulating member14 is grasped and such member rotated to impart movement to the shaft 11rwhich latter, through the medium of the pinion 10 and rack 2 impartmovement to the switch throwing bar 1 to throw the switch point to thedesired position. If desired, a signal lamp 35 may be fastened to theend of the main shaft 11 above the manipulating member 14 and providedwith suitable bulls eyes to indicate the position of the switch to anengineer of an approaching train.

To prevent derangement of the switch actuating mechanism when a train isupon t-he switch point and in the event of a projection striking thearms 16 of the manipulating member, I have provided a safety device bymeans of which the main shaft may rotate within its bearings withoutaffecting the switch, or disrupting the actuating mechanism. This safetydevice, in the present instance, intersects the switch throwing rod 1and to accommodate and receive the safety device, the switch throwingrod l is formed of sections 36 and 37. Upon the section 36 is bolted orotherwise fastened a cylinder 38, and upon the section 37 is mounted aplunger 39 mounted within the cylinder' 38 and adapted to slide thereinwhen the aforementioned conditions prevail. The end of the cylinder 38withinl which the proximate extremity of the section 37 is disposed isclosed through the medium of a cap 40 threaded onto a nipple carried bythe adjacent end of the cylinder or connected to such cylinder in anysuitable or desired manner. Mounted within the cylinder 38 and uponopposite sides of the plunger 39 are coiled expansion springs 41, 41each eX- erting its tension in oppositionto the other and normallymaintaining the plunger' 39 centrally of the cylinder, the ends of thesprings remote from the plunger engaging the proximate ends of thecylinder and cap. The springs 41, 41 are of such strength as to remain`immovable or unyielding in the normal yoperation of the mechanism, thus,presenting to all intents and purposes, an in-` tegral and unconnectedswitch throwing rod.

On the contrary, should a projection on the train strike one of the arms16, when one of the cars of such train is on the switch point, one ofthe springs 41 will yield, according to the direction of travel of thetrain and permit the section 37 of the shaft to be moved relatively tothe section 36 under the action of the pinion and rack 10 and 2respectively and the main shaft 11.

In accordance with my present invention, a locomotive or advance car ofa train approaching the switch from either the main line or the siding,is equipped with an operating mechanism adapted to engage one of thearms of the manipulating member of the switch actuating mechanism toactuate the switch point to the desired position, such operatingmechanism being manually controlled to render the same active andinactive with respect to the actuating mechanism of the switch point.This mechanism embraces a casing E bolted o-r otherwise secured to theside of the particular car and extending outwardly thereof and mountedin advance of the forward truck. This casing in the present instanceconsists of two companion sections 42, 42 bolted or otherwise secured toeach other and formed to provide an elongated slot or guideway 43y and asubstantially rectangular chamber 44 contiguous such guideway, thechamber being designed to house Vthe power appliances` while theguideway 43v receives a plunger actuated from the power devices to berendered operative and inoperative relative to the actuating mechanismof the switch. Journaled in the walls of the chamber 44 of the casing E,

`is a shaft 45 and keyed upon this shaft 45 are spaced gears 46, 46 anda sprocket 47 intermediate the gears. Operatively engaging the sprocket47 is a chain 48 one extremity of which is fastenedI to the arm of alrock lever 49 pivotally mounted upon a shaft 50 in proximity to theshaft 45 and journaled in the walls of the chamber 44.

`The rock lever 49 at a point opposite its connection with the chain 48is pro-vided with a segmental or arcuate-shaped rack 51 engaged by atoothed bar 52 integral with a rod 53 and slidably disposed within asuitable guideway formed contiguous the chamber 44 and at right anglesto the guideway 43. The opposite end of the chain 48 is fastened to thefree end of the toothed bar 52, as at 54. Th-e numeral 55 indicates aplunger slidably mounted within the guideway 43 and equipped with atoothed surface 56 within the guideway and in engagement with vthe gears46. Thus, in the operation of the rod 53, sliding movement is impartedto the toothed bar 52 and motion imparted to the plunger 55, through thechain 48, sprocket 47, gears and toothed surface 46 and 56 respectively,to impart movement to such bar 55 to slide the sameoutwardly or inwardlyof the casing E, according to the, direction of movement of the rod 53.The rock lever 49, in the movement of the rod 53, serves to keepfthechain taut irrespective of the path of movement of the toothed bar 52.

kThe plunger 55 is manually controlled and to this end, the `rod 53,which may be of any convenient or suitable length is pivotally connectedat its free end to a hand lever 57 provided with a dog 58 adapted ltoengage notches in a quadrant 59, the movement of the lever 57, when thedog 58 is released,

permitting motion to be imparted to the plunger 55, as previouslydescribed.

The operation of the mechanism just described may be brieiiy stat-ed asfollows:- Assuming a train to be approaching the switch point C from themain line and such point through a system of levers.

point open, the operation to close the switch so that a train may enterthe siding or branch line, is as follows: In the open position of theswitch, the arm 16 on the manipulating member is disposed at rightangles to the rails of the main line. The operator upon the train nowoperates the lever 57 and through the power appliances, hereinbeforedescribed, imparts movement to the plunger 55 to move the same outwardlyof the casing E and consequently in the path of the arm 16. Upon theplunger contacting with the arm 16 of the manipulating member of theswitch actuating mechanism, the main shaft 11 of such actuatingmechanism is operated, and through the medium of the pinion 10 and rack2 imparts movement to the switch throwing bar 1 to actuate the switchpoint to close the switch so that the train may proceed from themainline onto the branch line or siding. Upon the train backing out ofthe siding or branch line, the arm 16 is again contacted by theoperating mechanism upon the train to open the switch to t-he'main line.

In the modified form of the invention disclo-sed in Fig. 8, I employ aswitch actuating mechanism at each side of the rails of the main lineand each mechanism is arranged an appropriate distance in advance of theswitch point and connected tosuch In practising this form of myinvention, each actuating mechanism is equipped with but one arm andowing to the positions of the actuating mechanisms, these arms aredisposed at the opposite sides of the track and are adapted forengagement with operating devices carried upon'each side of the advancecar of a train and extending outwardly thereof. Thus, one of suchoperating mechanismsl on the train may throw the switch to open thesiding or branch line to permit a train to enter the same, while afollowing train or a car at the rear end of the first train may, throughits operating mechanism, impart movement to the actuating mechanism uponthe opposite side of the track to close the switch to the branch lineand permit traiic to continue over the main line without entering theswitch or siding. In Fig. 8, each operating mechanism -is constructedidentical to that hereinbefore described with reference to the preferredform of my invention. but in this form of the invention one of the armsis eliminated as above pointed out, and the switch throwing rod 1 ofeach actuating mechanism is co-nnected to a lever 60 pivoted upon asuitable support as at 61 and located to one side of the rails of themain line and having its opposite end pivotally connected to a bar 62common to both levers 60 and fastened to the switch point as at. 63.Thus, the switch point may be actuated from either side of the rails ofthe main line to accomplish the purposes and results aforesaid.

From thel foregoing description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation and manner ofemploying my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in theart to which the invention appertains, and while I have herein shown anddescribed one preferred form of my invention by way of illust-ration, Ido not limit myself to the exact details of construction hereindescribed and delineated as modification and variation may be madewithin the scope of the claims and without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

I claim:

1. In a switch throwing mechanism, the combination with a switch point,of an actuating mechanism therefor, said mechanism including a mainshaft, connections between said main shaft and switch point, an annulussplined upon said main shaft for sliding movement and provided with atoothed surface, means normally engaging said toothed surface, to holdthe main shaft immovable, and means for moving the toothed portion ofsaid annulus `out of engagement with the just-mentioned means to unlockthe main shaft. for manual operation.

2. In a switch throwing mechanism, the combination with a switch point,of an actuating mechanism therefor, said actuating mechanism including amain shaft, a connection between said main shaft and switch point, anannulus splined upon said lnain shaft for sliding movement and providedwith a toothed surface, an arln normally engaging said toothed surfaceto hold the main shaft immovable, and manually operable means for movingthe toothed portion of said annulus out of engagement with said arm tounlock the main shaft for manual operation.

3. In a switch throwing mechanism, the combination with a switch point,of an actuating mechanism therefor, said mechanism comprising a mainshaft, a connection between said main shaft and switch point, an annulussplined upon said main shaft for sliding movement. and provided with a.toothed surface, a sleeve also splined upon said main shaft andconnected to said annulus, means normally engaging said toothed surfaceto hold the main shaft immovable, and a lever connected to said sleevewhereby the toothed portion of said annulus may be disengaged from thelast-mentioned means to unlock the main shaftfor manual operation.

1. The combination with a switch point and an actuating mechanismtherefor, of an operating mechanism carried by a train and adapted toactuate said actuatingmechanism to throw the switch point, saidoperating mechanism comprising a plunger, a gear in Jtened to the freeend of said rock arm, and 10- engagement With said plunger for actuatingmeans for actuating said toothed bar.

the same, a rock lever having a segmental In testimony whereof I affixmy signature rack at lOlne end, altoothed bar in engage` in presence oftwo Witnesses.

ment Witi said rac a s rocket associated with said gear and adapgted torotate the HARRY V' MELICK saine, and a chain trained over said sprocketVitnesses: and having one end connected to said PERCY BARKER, toothedbar and the opposite extremity fas- HARRY E. HOOVER.

( Jopies of Ithis patent may be obtained for five cents eac/h, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

